Photoluminescent cupholder illumination

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for illuminating a vehicle cupholder is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a cavity formed by a console. The cavity is configured to receive a container and has a base portion. The base portion comprises a light-transmissive portion configured to transmit electromagnetic energy. A light source is configured to emit a first emission proximate the light-transmissive portion. The apparatus further comprises a photoluminescent portion proximate the light-transmissive portion. The photoluminescent portion is configured to be excited in response to the first emission to generate a second emission configured to illuminate the cavity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/322,464, filed Jul. 2, 2014, and entitled “PHOTOLUMINESCENTVEHICLE BADGE,” which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/301,635, filed Jun. 11, 2014, and entitled“PHOTOLUMINESCENT VEHICLE READING LAMP,” which is a continuation-in-partof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/156,869, filed on Jan. 16, 2014,entitled “VEHICLE DOME LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH PHOTOLUMINESCENT STRUCTURE,”which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/086,442, filed Nov. 21, 2013, and entitled “VEHICLE LIGHTING SYSTEMWITH PHOTOLUMINESCENT STRUCTURE.” The aforementioned relatedapplications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to vehicle lighting systems, andmore particularly, to a container holder employing photoluminescentstructures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Illumination arising from photoluminescent materials offers a unique andattractive viewing experience. It is therefore desired to incorporatesuch photoluminescent materials in portions of vehicles to provideambient and task lighting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus forilluminating a vehicle cupholder is disclosed. The apparatus comprises acavity formed by a console. The cavity is configured to receive acontainer and has a base portion. The base portion comprises alight-transmissive portion configured to transmit electromagneticenergy. A light source is configured to emit a first emission proximatethe light-transmissive portion. The apparatus further comprises aphotoluminescent portion proximate the light-transmissive portion. Thephotoluminescent portion is configured to be excited in response to thefirst emission to generate a second emission configured to illuminatethe cavity.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a consoleconfigured to illuminate a vehicle container holder is disclosed. Theconsole comprises a semi-cylindrical cavity configured to receive acontainer formed by a sidewall of the console. A base portion abuts thesidewall and is configured to emit a first emission. A feature islocated proximate the sidewall. The first emission is transmittedthrough the base portion and configured to excite the feature to emit asecond emission.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a vehicleconsole assembly configured to hold beverage containers is disclosed.The console assembly comprises a first cavity having a first baseportion, a second cavity having a second base portion, and a lightsource configured to emit a first emission proximate the first andsecond base portions. The first and second base portions comprise aphotoluminescent material configured to convert the first emission to asecond emission in response to an excitation of the photoluminescentmaterial.

These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present inventionwill be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art uponstudying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle console comprising a containerholder;

FIG. 2A illustrates a photoluminescent structure rendered as a coating;

FIG. 2B illustrates the photoluminescent structure rendered as adiscrete particle;

FIG. 2C illustrates a plurality photoluminescent structures rendered asdiscrete particles and incorporated into a separate structure;

FIG. 3 is schematic view of a front-lit configuration of a lightingapparatus for a container holder configured to convert a firstwavelength of light to at least a second wavelength;

FIG. 4 is schematic view of a back-lit configuration of a lightingapparatus for a container holder configured to convert a firstwavelength of light to at least a second wavelength; and

FIG. 5 is schematic view of a lighting apparatus for a container holderconfigured to convert a first wavelength of light to at least a secondwavelength.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure aredisclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosedembodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodiedin various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to adetailed design and some schematics may be exaggerated or minimized toshow function overview. Therefore, specific structural and functionaldetails disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, butmerely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art tovariously employ the present disclosure.

As used herein, the term “and/or,” when used in a list of two or moreitems, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself,or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed.For example, if a composition is described as containing components A,B, and/or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; Aand B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; orA, B, and C in combination.

The following disclosure describes an apparatus configured to illuminatea container holder of a vehicle. The apparatus may include a lightsource operable to output a first emission comprising a first wavelengthof light. At least one portion of the container holder may include aphotoluminescent material configured to convert the first emission to asecond emission. The second emission may have a second wavelength longerwavelength than the first wavelength. Upon receipt of the firstemission, the photoluminescent material may emit the light at the secondwavelength to illuminate the container holder.

Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a vehicle console 10comprising a container holder 12 is shown in accordance with oneembodiment of the disclosure. The container holder 12 may comprise acupholder, beverage container, or any device configured to retain aposition of an object within a vehicle. The vehicle console 10 may beincorporated in any portion of a passenger compartment of a vehicle, forexample a center console, organizer, door panel, etc. The containerholder 12 may comprise a lighting apparatus 14 comprising a light source16 configured to excite a photoluminescent material disposed in at leastone photoluminescent portion 18.

The container holder 12 is configured to provide a soft ambient lightingemitted from the at least one photoluminescent portion 18 of thecontainer holder 12. In order to incorporate the soft ambient lightingin the container holder 12, the at least one photoluminescent portion 18may be configured to emit light from various portions of the containerholder 12. The at least one photoluminescent portion 18 may comprise abase portion 20, and in some implementations may further comprise atleast one finger 22. The at least one finger 22 may extend outward intoa container receiving cavity 24 formed by the container holder 12 andmay be configured to secure a container disposed in the receiving cavity24.

The light source 16 may be disposed beneath the base portion 20 and isconfigured to emit a first emission. The first emission compriseselectromagnetic radiation in the form of light that is configured toexcite the at least one photoluminescent portion 18. The first emissionmay comprise a first wavelength of light corresponding to a blue and/ornear ultraviolet wavelength of light. In response receiving the firstemission, the at least one photoluminescent portion 18 may becomeexcited and emit a second emission comprising at least a secondwavelength of light longer than the first wavelength. The secondwavelength of light may provide for the second emission to besubstantially more perceptible to the human eye relative to the firstwavelength. In this way, the lighting apparatus 14 provides an ambientglowing light in the form of the second emission emitted from the atleast one photoluminescent portion 18.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the container holder 12 isdemonstrated as a component of a center vehicle console 26. For purposesof illustration, the center counsel 26 further comprises a gearshiftlever 28 and an actuator 30. Though demonstrated in a particularconfiguration, the container holder 12 may be configured for use in anyportion of a vehicle. The container holder 12 may also be configured foruse in various forms of vehicles including automotive vehicles,watercraft, airplanes, trains, buses, etc. to provide a cost-effectivesystem to illuminate the container holder 12.

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, a photoluminescent structure 42 is generallyshown rendered as a coating (e.g. a film) capable of being applied to avehicle fixture, a discrete particle capable of being implanted in avehicle fixture, and a plurality of discrete particles incorporated intoa separate structure capable of being applied to a vehicle fixture,respectively. The photoluminescent structure 42 may correspond to the atleast one photoluminescent portion 18 as discussed herein. At the mostbasic level, the photoluminescent structure 42 includes an energyconversion layer 44 that may be provided as a single layer or amultilayer structure, as shown through broken lines in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

The energy conversion layer 44 may include one or more photoluminescentmaterials having energy converting elements selected from aphosphorescent or a fluorescent material. The photoluminescent materialsmay be formulated to convert an inputted electromagnetic radiation intoan outputted electromagnetic radiation generally having a longerwavelength and expressing a color that is not characteristic of theinputted electromagnetic radiation. The difference in wavelength betweenthe inputted and outputted electromagnetic radiations is referred to asthe Stokes shift and serves as the principle driving mechanism for anenergy conversion process corresponding to a change in wavelength oflight, often referred to as down conversion. In the variousimplementations discussed herein, each of the wavelengths of light (e.g.the first wavelength, etc.) corresponds to electromagnetic radiationutilized in the conversion process.

Each of the photoluminescent portions may comprise at least onephotoluminescent structure 42 comprising an energy conversion layer(e.g. conversion layer 44). The energy conversion layer 44 may beprepared by dispersing the photoluminescent material in a polymer matrix50 to form a homogenous mixture using a variety of methods. Such methodsmay include preparing the energy conversion layer 44 from a formulationin a liquid carrier medium and coating the energy conversion layer 44 toa desired planar and/or non-planar substrate of a vehicle fixture. Theenergy conversion layer 44 coating may be deposited on a vehicle fixtureby painting, screen printing, spraying, slot coating, dip coating,roller coating, and bar coating. Additionally, the energy conversionlayer 44 may be prepared by methods that do not use a liquid carriermedium.

For example, a solid state solution (homogenous mixture in a dry state)of one or more photoluminescent materials may be incorporated in apolymer matrix 50 to provide the energy conversion layer 44. The polymermatrix 50 may be formed by extrusion, injection molding, compressionmolding, calendaring, thermoforming, etc. In instances where one or moreenergy conversion layers 44 are rendered as particles, the single ormulti-layered energy conversion layers 44 may be implanted into avehicle fixture or panel. When the energy conversion layer 44 includes amultilayer formulation, each layer may be sequentially coated.Additionally the layers can be separately prepared and later laminatedor embossed together to form an integral layer. The layers may also becoextruded to prepare an integrated multi-layered energy conversionstructure. For clarity, the polymer matrix 50 comprisingphotoluminescent material may be referred to as the energy conversionlayer 44 hereinafter to demonstrate that each may be similarly utilizedto convert the first wavelength of light to at least a secondwavelength.

Referring back to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the photoluminescent structure 42 mayoptionally include at least one stability layer 46 to protect thephotoluminescent material contained within the energy conversion layer44 from photolytic and thermal degradation to provide sustainedemissions of outputted electromagnetic radiation. The stability layer 46may be configured as a separate layer optically coupled and adhered tothe energy conversion layer 44. The stability layer 46 may also beintegrated with the energy conversion layer 44. The photoluminescentstructure 42 may also optionally include a protective layer 48 opticallycoupled and adhered to the stability layer 46 or any layer or coating toprotect the photoluminescent structure 42 from physical and chemicaldamage arising from environmental exposure.

The stability layer 46 and/or the protective layer 48 may be combinedwith the energy conversion layer 44 to form an integratedphotoluminescent structure 42 through sequential coating or printing ofeach layer, or by sequential lamination or embossing. Alternatively,several layers may be combined by sequential coating, lamination, orembossing to form a substructure. The substructure may then be laminatedor embossed to form the integrated photoluminescent structure 42. Onceformed, the photoluminescent structure 42 may be applied to a chosenvehicle fixture.

In some implementations, the photoluminescent structure 42 may beincorporated into a vehicle fixture as one or more discrete multilayeredparticles as shown in FIG. 2C. The photoluminescent structure 42 mayalso be provided as one or more discrete multilayered particlesdispersed in a polymer formulation that is subsequently applied to avehicle fixture or panel as a contiguous structure. Additionalinformation regarding the construction of photoluminescent structures tobe utilized in at least one photoluminescent portion of a vehicle isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,232,533 to Kingsley et al., entitled“PHOTOLYTICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY STABLE MULTILAYER STRUCTURE FOR HIGHEFFICIENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY CONVERSION AND SUSTAINED SECONDARYEMISSION,” filed Jul. 31, 2012, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

Referring to FIG. 3, the lighting apparatus 14 is generally shownaccording to a front-lit configuration 62. In this configuration, thelight or a first emission 64 emitted from the light source 16 isconverted to a second emission 66 by the energy conversion layer 44. Thefirst emission 64 comprises a first wavelength λ₁, and the secondemission 66 comprises a second wavelength λ₂. The lighting apparatus 14comprises the photoluminescent structure 42 disposed on or in at leastone photoluminescent portion. The photoluminescent structure 42 may berendered as a coating and applied to a substrate 68 of a vehicle fixture70, for example the at least one finger 22. The photoluminescentmaterial may also be dispersed as a polymer matrix 50 corresponding tothe energy conversion layer 44. In some implementations, the energyconversion layer 44 may further include the stability layer 46 and/orprotective layer 48. In response to the light source 16 being activated,the first emission 64 is received by the energy conversion layer 44 andconverted from the first emission 64 having the first wavelength λ₁ tothe second emission 66 having at least the second wavelength λ₂. Thesecond emission 66 may comprise a plurality of wavelengths λ₂, λ₃, λ₄configured to emit any color of light from the photoluminescent portion18.

In various implementations, the lighting apparatus 14 comprises at leastone photoluminescent material incorporated in the polymer matrix 50and/or energy conversion layer 44 and is configured to convert the firstemission 64 at the first wavelength λ₁ to the second emission 66 havingat least the second wavelength λ₂. In order to generate the plurality ofwavelengths λ₂, λ₃, λ₄, the energy conversion layer 44 may comprise ared-emitting photoluminescent material, a green-emittingphotoluminescent material, and a blue-emitting photoluminescent materialdispersed in the polymer matrix 50. The red, green, and blue-emittingphotoluminescent materials may be combined to generate a wide variety ofcolors of light for the second emission 66. For example, the red, green,and blue-emitting photoluminescent materials may be utilized in avariety of proportions and combinations to control the output color ofthe second emission 66.

Each of the photoluminescent materials may vary in output intensity,output wavelength, and peak absorption wavelengths based on a particularphotochemical structure and combinations of photochemical structuresutilized in the energy conversion layer 44. As an example, the secondemission 66 may be changed by adjusting the wavelength of the firstemission λ₁ to activate the photoluminescent materials at differentintensities to alter the color of the second emission 66. In additionto, or alternatively to the red, green, and blue-emittingphotoluminescent materials, other photoluminescent materials may beutilized alone and in various combinations to generate the secondemission 66 in a wide variety of colors. In this way, the lightingapparatus 14 may be configured for a variety of applications to providea desired lighting color and effect for a vehicle.

The light source 16 may also be referred to as an excitation source andis operable to emit at least the first emission 64. The light source 16may comprise any form of light source, for example halogen lighting,fluorescent lighting, light emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs(OLEDs), polymer LEDs (PLEDs), solid state lighting or any other form oflighting configured to output the first emission 64. The first emission64 from the light source 16 may be configured such that the firstwavelength λ₁ corresponds to at least one absorption wavelength of theone or more photoluminescent materials of the energy conversion layer 44and/or polymer matrix 50. In response to receiving the light at thefirst wavelength λ₁, the energy conversion layer 44 may be excited andoutput the one or more output wavelengths λ₂, λ₃, λ₄. The first emission64 provides an excitation source for the energy conversion layer 44 bytargeting absorption wavelengths of the various photoluminescentmaterials utilized therein. As such, the lighting apparatus 14 mayconfigured to output the second emission 66 to generate a desired lightintensity and color.

In an exemplary implementation, the light source 16 comprises an LEDconfigured to emit the first wavelength λ₁ which corresponds to a bluespectral color range. The blue spectral color range comprises a range ofwavelengths generally expressed as blue light (˜440-500 nm). In someimplementations, the first wavelength λ₁ may also comprise wavelengthsin a near ultraviolet color range (˜390-450 nm). In an exemplaryimplementation, λ₁ may be approximately equal to 470 nm.

The blue spectral color range and shorter wavelengths may be utilized asan excitation source for the lighting apparatus 14 due to thesewavelengths having limited perceptual acuity in the visible spectrum ofthe human eye. By utilizing shorter wavelengths for the first wavelengthλ₁, and converting the first wavelength with the conversion layer 44 toat least one longer wavelength, the lighting apparatus 14 creates avisual effect of light originating from the photoluminescent structure42. In this configuration, light is emitted from the photoluminescentstructure 42 (e.g. the first photoluminescent portion 18) from locationsof the vehicle 10 that may be inaccessible or costly to add conventionallight sources requiring electrical connections.

As discussed herein, each of the plurality of wavelengths λ₂, λ₃, λ₄ maycorrespond to a significantly different spectral color range. The secondwavelength λ₂ may correspond to the excitation of a red-emittingphotoluminescent material having a wavelength of approximately 620-750nm. The third wavelength λ₃ may correspond to the excitation of a greenemitting photoluminescent material having a wavelength of approximately526-606 nm. The fourth wavelength λ₄ may correspond to a blue or bluegreen emitting photoluminescent material having a wavelength longer thanthe first wavelength λ₁ and approximately 430-525 nm. The wavelengthsλ₂, λ₃, λ₄ may be utilized to generate a wide variety of colors of lightfrom the at least one photoluminescent portion 18 converted from thefirst wavelength λ₁.

Referring to FIG. 4, the lighting apparatus 14 is generally shownaccording to a back-lit configuration 72 to convert the first emission64 from the light source 16 to the second emission 66. In thisconfiguration, the lighting apparatus 14 may comprise an optic device 74configured to channel the light at the first wavelength λ₁ substantiallyalong the photoluminescent portion 18. The optic device 74 may be of anymaterial configured to transmit the light at the first wavelength λ₁substantially across the extents of a surface 76 of the optic device 74.In some implementations, the optic device 74 may comprise a polymericmaterial configured to provide a refractive index such that the light atthe first wavelength is transmitted consistently throughout the surface76.

The backlit configuration also comprises an energy conversion layer 44and/or photoluminescent material dispersed in a polymer matrix 50.Similar to the energy conversion layer 44 demonstrated in reference tothe front-lit configuration 62, the energy conversion layer 44 may beconfigured to be excited and output the one or more output wavelengthsλ₂, λ₃, λ₄ in response to receiving the first emission 64. The one ormore output wavelengths λ₂, λ₃, λ₄ correspond to the second emission 66.The plurality of wavelengths λ₂, λ₃, λ₄ of the second emission 66 may beconfigured to emit any color of light from the photoluminescent portion18 in response to the excitation of the energy conversion layer 44. Thecolor of the light corresponding to the second emission 66 may becontrolled by utilizing a ratio of photoluminescent materials asdiscussed herein.

In the backlit configuration 72, the photoluminescent portion 18 may beat least partially light-transmissive and configured to transmitelectromagnetic radiation from the light source 16 outward from thelighting apparatus 14. In such a configuration, a concentration of thephotoluminescent material in the energy conversion layer 44 may beconfigured to convert a first portion 78 of the first emission 64 to thesecond emission 66 while allowing a second portion 80 of the firstemission 64 to pass through the photoluminescent portion 18 and remainat the first wavelength λ₁. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first portion78 of the first emission 64 is converted to the second emission 66,while the second portion 80 passes through the energy conversion layerand remains at the first wavelength λ₁. The second portion 80 of thefirst emission 64 may be directed to additional photoluminescentportions and converted to a third emission. For example, the secondportion 80 may be directed to a photoluminescent portion of the at leastone finger 22 as discussed in reference to FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5 a schematic view of the lighting apparatus 14 forthe container holder 12 is shown. In this exemplary implementation, thelight source 16 is configured to generate light to illuminate thecontainer holder 12 in both a front-lit configuration 62 and a back-litconfiguration 72. In this implementation, a first photoluminescentportion 90 may correspond to the back-lit configuration 72, and a secondphotoluminescent 92 portion may correspond to the front-litconfiguration 62. By illuminating both the first photoluminescentportion 90 and the second photoluminescent portion 92, the lightingapparatus 14 provides for an efficient lighting system operable toilluminate multiple portions of the container holder from a single,conveniently located light source.

The first photoluminescent portion 90 may comprise the base portion 20.The base portion 20 may comprise any material operable to transmit aportion of the first emission 64 at the first wavelength λ₁ through thebase portion and into the container receiving cavity 24. The baseportion may comprise any material or polymer matrix comprising aconcentration of photoluminescent material configured to convert thefirst portion 78 of the first emission 64 to the second emission 66 andallow the second portion 80 of the first emission 64 to passtherethrough. In some implementations, the base portion 20 may comprisea semi-transparent polymer mat having the photoluminescent structure 42molded therein.

The second photoluminescent portion 92 may comprise the at least onefinger 22 or as demonstrated in FIG. 5, a plurality of fingers 94configured to secure a container disposed in the receiving cavity 24. Insome implementations, the second photoluminescent portion 92 maycomprise the energy conversion layer 44 applied as a coating and mayalso comprise at least one photoluminescent structure disposed in apolymer matrix used to form or coat the plurality of fingers 94. Thesecond photoluminescent portion 92 may be configured to convert thefirst emission 64 at the first wavelength λ₁ to at least a secondwavelength λ₂ longer than the first wavelength λ₁.

In some implementations, the second photoluminescent portion 92 may beconfigured to emit a third emission 96. The third emission 96 may beconfigured to emit light having a substantially similar color to thesecond emission 66 and may also comprise a correspondingphotoluminescent materials and proportions similar to the firstphotoluminescent portion 90. In some implementations, the secondphotoluminescent portion may be configured to emit the third emission 96having a different color than the second emission 66. As discussed inreference to the at least one photoluminescent portion 18, the first andsecond photoluminescent portions 90, 92 may be configured to emit thesecond emission 66 having a first color and third emission 96 having asecond color different from the first color. The color of the secondemission 66 and the third emission 96 may be manipulated by utilizingphotoluminescent materials in a variety of proportions and combinationsto control the output colors and corresponding wavelengths of light toilluminate the container holder 12.

Though the second photoluminescent portion 92 is described in detail inreference to the plurality of fingers 94, the second photoluminescentportion 92 may correspond to any feature disposed in or proximate to thecontainer holder 12. For example, the second photoluminescent portionmay comprise a ring configured illuminate in response to the firstemission 64 disposed on a sidewall 98 of the container holder 12, apivoting arm configured to secure a container, or any other feature.Further, each of the features may be configured to emit light indifferent colors. For example, the base portion may be configured toemit the second emission 66 having a green colored light, a first finger100 of the plurality of fingers 94 may be configured to emit a thirdemission having a yellow colored light, and a second finger 102 of theplurality of fingers 94 may be configured to emit a fourth emissionhaving a white colored light. In this way, the lighting apparatus 14 maybe utilized to produce any combination of colors for a variety ofambient lighting effects.

In an exemplary implementation as demonstrated in FIG. 5, the lightingapparatus 14 may be configured to provide ambient lighting in thecontainer holder 12 as disclosed. In various implementations, thecontainer holder 12 may be configured to receive a plurality ofcontainers in a plurality of container receiving cavities including afirst receiving cavity 104 and a second receiving cavity 106. In thisconfiguration, the lighting apparatus 14 is configured to illuminate thefirst receiving cavity 104 and the second receiving cavity 106 from acentralized light source 108. In this way, the disclosure may providefor further efficiency by illuminating the plurality of containerreceiving cavities from the centralized light source 108.

In operation, the light source 16 (e.g. the centralized light source108) is configured to emit the first emission 64 into the optic device74. The optic device 74 is configured to disperse the first emission 64consistently along a surface 110 of the first photoluminescent portion90 of each of the container receiving cavities 104, 106. Upon receipt ofthe first emission, the first photoluminescent portion 90 is configuredto convert the first portion 78 of the first emission to the secondemission 66 to illuminate the base portion 20. The concentration of thephotoluminescent materials in the first photoluminescent portion 90 isconfigured to allow the second portion 80 of the first emission to passthrough the base portion 20 and pass into the container receivingcavities 104, 106 to illuminate at least one feature comprising thesecond photoluminescent portion 92.

In some implementations, the second portion 80 of the first emission 64may pass through each of the container receiving cavities 104, 106 tothe plurality of fingers 94. The plurality of fingers 94 may comprisethe second photoluminescent portion 92. Upon receipt of the secondportion 80 of the first emission 64, the second photoluminescent portion92 may become excited and illuminate each of the fingers 94. In thisconfiguration, the lighting apparatus 14 is operable to provide ambientlighting for the container holder 12 from a cost effective, centrallylocated light source. Further, the lighting apparatus 14 is configuredto illuminate the container holder 12 in a wide variety of colors andcombinations to provide lighting that may be customized based on anypreference. The various implementations of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein provide a novel approach for illuminating a containerholder for a vehicle and may be utilized to provide attractive ambientlighting in a variety of settings.

For the purposes of describing and defining the present teachings, it isnoted that the terms “substantially” and “approximately” are utilizedherein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may beattributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or otherrepresentation. The term “substantially” and “approximately” are alsoutilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitativerepresentation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in achange in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made onthe aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of thepresent invention, and further it is to be understood that such conceptsare intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claimsby their language expressly state otherwise.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for illuminating a vehicle cupholdercomprising: a cavity formed by a console having a base portionconfigured to receive a container, the base portion comprising alight-transmissive portion configured to transmit electromagneticenergy; a light source configured to emit a first emission proximate thelight-transmissive portion; a photoluminescent portion proximate thelight-transmissive portion, configured to be excited in response to thefirst emission, the excitation generating a second emission configuredto illuminate the cavity; and a feature disposed on a wall of thecavity, the feature comprising a second photoluminescent portion excitedin response to the first emission transmitted through thelight-transmissive portion.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the first emission comprises a shorter wavelength than thesecond emission.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thesecond emission comprises a plurality of wavelengths configured togenerate a substantially white light.
 4. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the photoluminescent portion is disposed on thelight-transmissive portion.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the base portion comprises a polymer mat having thephotoluminescent portion molded therein.
 6. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the photoluminescent portion is configured to convert afirst portion of the first emission from a first wavelength to a secondwavelength such that a second portion of the first emission at the firstwavelength is operable to excite the feature.
 7. A console configured toilluminate a vehicle container holder comprising: a semi-cylindricalcavity configured to receive a container formed by a sidewall of theconsole; a base portion abutting the sidewall and configured to transmitlight energy; a light source disposed proximate the base portionconfigured to emit a first emission; a feature located proximate thesidewall, wherein the first emission is transmitted through the baseportion and configured to excite the feature to emit a second emission,wherein the base portion comprises a photoluminescent portion configuredto convert a first portion of the first emission to a third emission andtransmit a second portion of the first emission to the feature.
 8. Theconsole according to claim 7, wherein the first emission comprises ashorter wavelength than the second emission.
 9. The console according toclaim 7, wherein the feature comprises a photoluminescent portionconfigured to emit the second emission in response to the excitationfrom the first emission.
 10. The console according to claim 7, whereinthe first emission is emitted from the base portion through at least aportion of the semi-cylindrical cavity.
 11. The console according toclaim 7, wherein the feature comprises a ring disposed radially alongthe sidewall to illuminate the container holder.
 12. The consoleaccording to claim 7, wherein the feature comprises a raised portionextending into the semi-cylindrical cavity from the sidewall configuredto secure a container in the container holder.
 13. The console accordingto claim 7, wherein the first emission comprises a shorter wavelengththan the third emission.
 14. A vehicle console assembly configured tohold beverage containers comprising: a first cavity having a first baseportion and configured to hold a beverage; a second cavity having asecond base portion and configured to hold a beverage; a light sourceconfigured to emit a first emission proximate the first and second baseportions, wherein the first and second base portions comprise aphotoluminescent material configured to convert the first emission to asecond emission in response to an excitation of the photoluminescentmaterial, wherein the first and second base portions are configured totransmit a portion of the first emission to a feature located in atleast one of the first cavity and the second cavity, the featurecomprising a second photoluminescent material configured to emit a thirdemission in response to receiving the portion of the first emission. 15.The console assembly according to claim 14, further comprising: an opticdevice configured to receive the first emission and substantially spreadthe first emission about a surface of each of the first base portion andthe second base portion.
 16. The console assembly according to claim 14,wherein the light source comprises an LED configured to emit the firstemission at a first wavelength and the second emission is converted bythe photoluminescent material to a second wavelength longer than thefirst wavelength.